In short: Amazon announced a new generation of its Fire TV Stick that combines 4K HDR video with Dolby Atmos support for only $50, hence serving as an aggressively priced home entertainment option. The gadget is bundled with the new Alexa Voice Remote that’s also sold alongside the Fire TV Cube Amazon launched in late June. The company claims its latest streaming solution is over 80-percent more powerful than the previous Fire TV Stick thanks to its new quad-core processor clocked at 1.7GHz. 4K UHD, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision support are part of the package as well, as is native integration with Alexa, allowing consumers to verbally control the device.
The pre-orders are already open and will start shipping in the United States and Canada on October 31, whereas the United Kingdom, Germany, and India will receive the Fire TV Stick 4K on November 14. Japan is the only other market with confirmed availability, though no exact release timeframe save for “2018” has yet been provided by Amazon for the Far Eastern country. The new Alexa Voice Remote can also be purchased separately for $29.99 and is compatible with all previous entertainment gadgets from Amazon. Customers in all eligible markets can buy the new Fire TV Stick 4K alongside the recently launched Echo Dot for $79.98, 20-percent off, or get two sticks at a ten-percent discount. Refer to the banner below for more promotions including the newly released streaming stick.
Background: The latest product launch from Amazon comes on the heels of a wide variety of announcements of other Alexa-enabled devices such as speakers, amplifiers, wall clocks, and even microwaves. The gadget joins the company’s growing lineup of streaming solutions that already includes the regular Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Cube, Fire TV Recast, and numerous television sets with native support for its video platform. Amazon sees video content and accompanying Prime subscription perks as a major lead generator, having frequently told investors Prime subscribers spend significantly larger sums within its e-commerce ecosystem than other consumers do.
Impact: Amazon’s video focus continues to grow with the release of the Fire TV Stick 4K, a gadget that also ennobles its smart home ecosystem centered on Alexa. The company is expected to promote the newly unveiled device in a rather aggressive manner over the course of this holiday season.
Buy Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K